I only got serious about skincare in my late 30s and frankly I should have done so sooner.
I don’t have a clear recollection of why or how I really got into it—particularly the regularly viral realm of Korean skincare—except for that random purchase in which the colorful packaging pulled me in like a rogue planetary body hijacking a dried-up moon floating mindlessly in the online retail space.
Prior to being sucked into the skincare swirl, I’ve spent the best part of my three decades using just cleansers and sunscreen—arguably two of the most basic yet most important products on any individual’s shelf. While effective, the balance never reached the echelons of a routine that could rival 10-step Korean skincare routines that promise a radiant complexion.
After all, the sparse skincare methods I’ve subscribed to enforced a kind of lean necessity. Cleanse with a simple everyday cleanser in one hand and protect with whatever dermatologist-recommended sunscreen is available.
Skin in the game
So, what changed?
The attraction was brief and quick and came stashed in a little bottle when, after sampling a simple vitamin C and niacinamide serum for several days, a friend commented how my skin looked healthier. It painted a different story in my head—one that brought not just the positive effects of taking care of your skin but also actually taking care of your overall well-being.
Skincare became a pleasure. It also became a ritual. A simple decision that opened up a whole new level of understanding the self that goes beyond skin deep. And since pretty much everything Korean is practically everywhere, I’ve taken a huge leap forward when it comes to embracing K-beauty and all its active ingredients, formulations, and brands that work for my oily and acne-prone skin.
Skincare became a pleasure. It also became a ritual. A simple decision that opened up a whole new level of understanding the self that goes beyond skin deep
At this point, I’ve allowed myself a deeply personal relationship with Korean skincare—dabbling with mainstream cornerstones like Cosrx and Beauty of Joseon before finding my comfort zones in several brands that felt right for me: the natural, clean beauty of Isntree and Skin1004; the numbered simplicity of Numbuzin (mine’s No. 3 and No. 5, in case anyone might be wondering); the gentle efficacy of Round Lab (that Birch Tree line delivers some hydrating and soothing joy); and even the your-skin-is-our-planet promise of Torriden—all of which have winning formulas that work wonders on my troubled skin.
Lab-concocted skincare
Lately, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed The Lab by Blanc Doux’s Green Flavonoid product line, which is distributed locally by Viva Beauty PH. And it’s also not just because current “it” boy Rabin Angeles is its brand ambassador— although it certainly helps when a handsome face you can’t get enough of seeing on your feed endorses a brand.
(PS: Rabin in person during the Scout shoot is both enigmatic and accessible, a down-to-earth person who seems unaware of his magnetism—and that skin… is an almighty sight to see and makes you think that he is definitely one of the freshest young faces in the local entertainment industry today.)
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While the brand’s placements on Korea’s Olive Young and Hwahae beauty awards list—particularly its Oligo Hyaluronic Acid Deep Toner—are telling of its reputation, the name itself is just as indicative of the brand’s attention to ingredient details. The Green Flavonoid line—which includes a pore gel cleanser that lathers well, a 2.5 solution that acts like a toner, a noncomedogenic serum, and a moisturizing cream with squalane—is all about soothing and calming given as it’s meant for acne-prone skin.
After a week of use, I’ve rarely had any breakouts and generally felt that the state of my skin barrier is the strongest it has been. The Lab’s Green Flavonoid line has concocted something in its tubes aside from the plant-derived ingredients that makes it work wonders on my oily, acne-prone skin: respect for your skin.
Conscious consumerism
Though skincare has become a general contributor for improved well-being, there are just several conundrums: First is overconsumption. And the biggest culprit? Social media, influencer culture, and their excessive encouragement to stockpile on products you may not necessarily need.
Then there’s choice overload. There are simply too many options presented to consumers that it tends to lead to decision fatigue. Granted, it’s a two-way street. No influencing happens if you don’t end up falling for this very real issue.
To be clear, however, it also isn’t right to shame people who do love skincare that they would get their hands on the latest products; it also isn’t right to place the burden on individuals given that ethics and sustainability will always be complex subject matters in a capitalistic, consumerist society.
Though skincare has become a general contributor for improved well-being, there are just several conundrums: First is overconsumption. And the biggest culprit? Social media, influencer culture, and their excessive encouragement to stockpile on products you may not necessarily need
As someone who has reached the peak of skincare consumption last year, this habit became the crux of my self-confessed, slight skincare obsession. Fortunately, I’m at that age where “TikTok made me buy it” has less of an effect. At this point, practicality trumps virality because honestly, not everything we see making rounds online is going to have the same effect on us.
Like food, skincare is personal. It is subjective. We have different sensitivities, preferences, and reactions. My Holy Grail products could be the coup de grâce for someone’s skin. Hence, I personally watch skincare hauls with a grain of salt. FOMO may follow me but it’s not getting on my back.
Generally, anxiety about choosing the right products can be lessened by properly researching what ingredients you need, what skin concerns you need to address, and how to simplify your routine.
And let’s also not forget that seeking expert advice from a dermatologist is incomparable to stocking up on all the breakthrough PDRN serums, exosome shots in a bottle, and treatment pads. Sure, they may (and can) work well for our skin but we don’t always necessarily need to hop on the viral train every time a new product comes out. And lastly, the environmental impact of the overconsumption in the beauty and skincare industry is a very real thing.
In that short space of time in front of a mirror, I get a brief moment of clarity to myself
Which leads me back to my headline of “mindfully embracing” skincare. I love what having a proper skincare routine gives me and I love its positive effect on my personal well-being—not because it makes my skin look and feel better but simply because in that short space of time in front of a mirror, I get a brief moment of clarity to myself. Where the stress and strain of daily life gets set aside for a short time and you only have yourself to think about.
Now that’s priceless.
But by coming to terms with the issues surrounding overconsumption as a whole, we can perhaps guide more skincare lovers—and people in general—into an age of enlightenment. One where we, as the late British designer Vivienne Westwood said, “buy less, choose well, make it last.”
Even if it simply means using up everything you have first before replenishing your stock.
